Different skills and knowledge for different times: training in an Australian retail bank

This article explores the relationship between an Australian financial institution’s training programme and its commercial fortunes, in particular its mix of technical skills and social skills training. In this industry, price and product differentiation are limited, and customer service is the principal determinant of competitive advantage. Social skills training should theoretically be crucial to gaining competitive advantage. This study involved interviews with the bank’s state and national managers, observations of different types of training courses and analysis of training programme documentation. It was found that during periods of intense pressure from the marketplace, managerial perceptions and budgetary constraints placed a higher priority on technical skills training over social skills training. This had significant implications for employees’ personal and career development in internal and external labour markets.